§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have approved, or intend to approve, an export licence for British radar and computer equipment for the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority; and how they will ensure that this equipment will be confined to non-military purposes. [HL4991]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Department of Trade and Industry's Export Control Organisation does not normally comment on export licence applications, which are commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under Part II, Exemption 13 and 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Details of all relevant export licences issued and refused since 2 May 1997 are published by destination in the Government'sAnnual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are placed in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 annual report will be published soon.
All relevant export licence applications for Sudan are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, the EU arms embargo and the military end use control in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time and taking account of other relevant factors. I refer the noble Lord to the reply from my honourable friend the Member for Manchester Central (Tony Lloyd) to my honourable friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Andy King) in another place on 28 January 1998, Offical Report, col 273–74.